In the Coils of the Snake
by The Mad Writer
Summary: When an old friend comes to visit Jules things, as always, become interesting.


Disclaimer: I do not own the Secret Adventures of Jules Verne. If I did it would still be running on Sci-Fi Channel (which should be renamed "The Stargate Station"). Please enjoy and excuse it if it isn't the best. This is my first fanfic in about two years.

Chapter 1

It was the sharp knocking on the garret door that woke up Jules. He had fallen asleep at his desk sometime around five that morning. He couldn't help it, after reading a book about the discovery of giant reptiles that had been dubbed "dinosaurs" he had gotten an idea for a story: a group of explorers who traveled into the depths of the earth and found such creatures still alive. He had only written out an outline and a bit of the first chapter, but it was something.

Knock, knock, KNOCK! Jules blinked the sleep from his eyes as he sat up. One of his papers was stuck to his face which he lazily pulled off. The sun was shining brilliantly over Paris. It had to be at least 11 o'clock. He was surprised that the noise from below hadn't woken him up earlier. The sound of haggling old wives, squealing children, and the frenzied barking of dogs wafted up from the street below. Not to mention the stench. That alone was enough to wake the dead, especially in the blazing July heat.

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK! Jules sighed as he got up to answer the door. It was probably Madame Lorraine wanting her rent. He had promised her that he'd get it too her as soon as possible, but that had been two weeks ago. If he didn't hurry up she was going to throw him out. He didn't want to impose on the Foggs anymore, they had already done enough for him in all the adventures that had seem to take over his life in the past few months since meeting Phileas Fogg, and his beautiful cousin Rebecca, and his valet Passpartout.

KNOCK, KNO- Jules opened the door ready for a verbal assault from Madame Lorraine, but instead dropped his jaw at the sight that greeted him.

"Well, it's about time you opened the door cher." The speaker was a woman in her mid-twenties. She wore a forest green colored dress on the latest fashion that matched the bonnet on her head. A few loose curls revealed her deep brown hair and framed her round olive toned face. Gray eyes, almost silver, danced as she smiled at the dumbstruck Jules. In the crook of her right arm she carried a large wicker basket covered with a checkered blanket which clashed with the rest of her ensemble which was completed with dark gray gloves.

"Yvette? What on earth are you doing here?" Jules managed at last.

Yvette laughed. It was a sound that still reminded Jules of crystal bells. "That's quite the thing to ask. Aren't you going to invite me in first cher? I did come all this way to see you."

"Oh, yes, yes, please come in." Jules fumbled backwards to open the door wider to allow his unexpected guest in, all the while mentally kicking himself for not cleaning up a bit. Ah, such was the life of a bachelor.

"Well, it's evident that no ladies have visited you lately," Yvette mentioned. Jules winced inwardly.

"Perceptive as always Yvette," Jules thought to himself.

"I suppose that you're wondering why I am here. Frankly the only reason I can think to give you is that I missed an old friend and wished to see him again," said Yvette getting straight to the point.

As she spoke, she took off her gloves and bonnet. Her curly brown hair just barely stayed in place. It still seemed to have a mind of its own. No wonder, it was Yvette's hair. She neatly laid both articles on the window sill and shooed away a pigeon that was sitting there greedily eyeing her basket. With swiftness born of practice she gathered up Jules papers and neatly arranged them so that they weren't taking over the entire table.

"I haven't seen you since I quit school. Why the sudden urge to see me?" asked Jules as he went to his cupboard to retrieve a couple of wooden plates and cups. Fortunately he had done dishes recently.

Yvette pulled croissants, cheese, fresh pears, and a bottle of wine out as she continued her story. "I've just returned from a recent expedition to Egypt to gather samples for my laboratory. I'm afraid my collection of Egyptian snakes was sorely lacking. Fortunately that has been remedied. My team and I returned last week. It has been very difficult considering how things have been going at the University."

"Why? What's wrong?" asked Jules as Yvette served the food.

Yvette opened the wine and poured before answering. "They want to get rid of me cher," she whispered.

"What! That's absurd! Why would they want to get rid of you?" Jules exclaimed.

"Have you gone blind cher? I'm a woman and La Sorbonne is run by fat old men who are still living the seventeenth century! That's why!" snapped Yvette, slamming her cup down. Some wine spilled over the edge.

"I'm sorry cher," said Yvette as she mopped up the spill with the garish blanket. "No it's more than that. The department heads have never been happy that a woman should be a part of La Sorbonne's staff. They have only tolerated me because of my father's contract. If he hadn't specifically stated that I was to be given charge of the herpetology department if he died before his contract was to be renewed. He died half way through his ten year contract. I still don't know what upset those oldies more, the fact that he died testing Tai-pan anti-venom or that they had to let me take his position." Yvette paused to take a sip of wine.

"But didn't your father's contract say that if that happened then they would have to consider re-hiring you as a regular professor?"

"Yes and they are per se. They have looked at my work and at what I have done in the past five years. Oh!" Yvette slammed down her cup again, this time without spilling, and stood up to pace as she spoke. "I've created five successful anti-venoms on my own! I even perfected Father's Tai-pan anti-venom! Do you know how sick I was after that? I've taught students who wouldn't listen their own mothers if God Himself asked them to, but they've listened and learned all about the wonders of the Americas rattlesnakes! I've traveled all of Europe lecturing nobility and commoner alike on the beauties of snakes! If I were a man, they wouldn't blink an eye at renewing my contract, but because I'm a woman they see me as a second-class citizen who doesn't deserve to do the things I've done!" Yvette sat with a huff. She grabbed the wine bottle and took a long drink.

"Ah!" She wiped some wine off her lips with the back of her hand. "It's too early to get drunk." She set down the bottle, her hands falling into her lap. "I always hated having to rely on my father to be able to have the independence and liberty that I have. I can't think of any other women who are like me. They did offer me one consolation. If my contract as a professor isn't renewed I can still be an assistant like I was for my father." She sniffed at that. "I'll be reduced to what every other woman who wants to be something is left with."

Jules looked at Yvette. It was awful to see her reduced to this state. What was worse, he couldn't think of anything to do or say that would help her. Just as he was about to speak he felt something start to press up against his leg. He looked down and let out a small yelp before jumping back. Not the best of ideas since it resulted in him falling over the chair and on to the floor.

Yvette was shocked at the mess in front of her. She shot out of her chair to Jules side. "What is it? What's the matter?" Yvette asked as she knelt by Jules.

"Did one of your specimens escape and follow you here?" Jules pointed at a red, black, and yellow striped snake that was a bit over a foot long and had taken it upon itself to examine the contents of the garret. Yvette followed Jules' finger and burst out laughing.

"What? Isn't that a coral snake? Those are deadly!" Jules said indignantly. He certainly couldn't get any more undignified then he already was.

"No, silly, no," Yvette managed through gasps of laughter. She was crying as she tried to speak. "Red touches black, you're ok Jack. Red touches yellow, you're a dead fellow," she recited as she got up and gathered the snake up. It instantly coiled around her hands. One could swear it was trying to be affectionate with her. "This is Maurice, he's a milk snake. Their coloring is to imitate coral snakes so that predators avoid them. I thought you knew better cher."

Jules shook his head. How could he forget? Yvette always carried a snake with her wherever she went, that's how much she loved them. Yvette continued to giggle behind her hand as Jules got up and tried to straighten out things. Even though words had failed him in making Yvette feel better, at least his actions had given her a good laugh.


End file.
